A Real-Life Example
The development process for developing a most beautiful and original triple skater’s turn on floor involved working and combining turns in a variety of positions, in combinations of positions, changes in height during turns and progressive building from single turns up to a triple.

The Learning Process
The learning process was developed through the use of a variety of assigned tasks to attempt including:
 Perform a turn in the attitude (and a large variety of other) position.
 Drop down to a squat during a turn.
 Start a turn low and then have it rise.
 Drop down and up during a turn.
 Change from one leg position to another during a turn.

See What Looks Good on the Gymnast
The function of the coach during these drills was to spot work by the gymnast that looked good and was worth developing, pointing out and praising the performance of the gymnast, in order to get them to repeat the good looking work and building on and adding more to that work.  This is not tough duty for a coach who likes to watch the sport and admires creativity and originality.

A Completely Original Triple Turn
The skater’s turn in its final form began as an attitude turn, sunk down in the attitude position and then rose to resemble a skater’s spin.  Both the attitude portion of the turn and the skater’s pin lasted for approximately 1 & ½ turns.  This was performed regularly in competition by what is now the equivalent of a level 8, an Intermediate optional gymnast and she had the capacity to just nail it every time.

A Proud Accomplishment
This remains for both of us one of our proudest accomplishments in the sport (Go, Beth) and should be the type of accomplishment you and your gymnasts should be striving to achieve and enjoy.

Steal this Move
Incidentally, feel free to steal this turn.  Feel free to teach and reach the International level and have it named after your gymnasts.  The girl who performed it has been out of the sport for some time now, anyway and personally, it’s such a beautiful turn, I’d love to watch it again, no matter who does it.  And, besides, both you and I will know who really invented it, anyway.

Creativity, Originality and Virtuosity
So get to work and plan and spend some time on each event training originality and creating truly unique skills and routines for you and your gymnasts.  Good luck and enjoy.

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